In late April of this Year I flew out to the Spring Regional Show for the Monterey Bay Iris Society and spent the weekend going through Napa Gardens, Superstiton's, and Joe Ghio's and a couple private gardens that were on the tour in the Santa Cruz area. It was another trip I wish I would have allowed a couple extra days to see it all, we were just a little early probably a week or so before peak in Santa Cruz so I missed quite a bit of bloom at some places but was still able to get some pictures of some of the earlier blooming varities and seedligs.

The first stop was Napa Iris gardens I have bought quite a few bulbs from them over the past few years and was curious to see some of there new intro's up close and some of the other older ones they carry. There pictures on the website of there full garden shots were terriffic and I thought if it looks anywhere close to that I am in for a real treat, so when we landed on Friday at the airport we headed towards Napa Valley. That whole area is beautiful country there place is definitely hidden in the hillsides, but it was gorgeous they have a awesome view. I caught there garden just as it was starting to bloom so very few things open at the time we were there, but I think it was the most well kept garden I had seen to date, the plants were healthy and of the thousands, there was not a one that had a speck of leaf spot on it. I did not think it was possible not to have some in that size of a garden, I found out they follow a spraying schedule once new growth starts which stops it before it gets started. There was not a weed anywhere in the beds and you could tell the whole property was well token care of. Another bonus was they had a gift shop with everything they sold also in Pots so for locals they could take them home the same day. I would love to go back and spend a whole day there and see it in full bloom they were great people to talk to and very helpful.


This was about half of there show gardens


These are seedlings from there garden as there just wasn't much that day open but what I did see was definitely some beauties.

They have had some really good intro's the past few years and I am excited to see what else comes from there garden this year. These are my favorites that I saw blooming this year from them at different gardens.

Mad World & Rum and Coke

Cosmic Celebration & Chocalatte

Brilliance & Rainy River

Spice Trader & Purple Ritz



Sue had a awesome thread on there garden from earlier this spring she caught it in full bloom and had some great pictures of all there new intro's if you missed it this spring here is the link

The thread "Napa Iris Garden visit" in Irises forum

I am behind on thead reading but I love that black and white seedling!

How do you get the pics to post is sets of two?

The seedling, third one down on the left side, is a lot like one of Blyth's called Capitonic. I've always liked Rum and Coke, but haven't gotten it yet. Now I know how a junky feels after going a long time without, and finally gets a hit!

I have been wanting to paint some garden signs during the winter and I may make one that says :

PLANT JUNKIE lives Here or PLANT ADDICT

How about Plantaholic?

another one that would work!

Teresa to get the pics side by side after you upload the 1st picture just hit the back button after it loads and it will line them up for you.

Paul I think that is the perfect name for me Plantaholic I definitely fit that description.

But is it plantaholic or irisaholic?

Polly LOL that's a good point if you took my plants away I would be ok, but take away my Iris and I would be sick I think that makes me a Irisaholic

There ya go!!

The next part of our trip we headed to Santa Cruz for the MBIS tour. This is one of the few cities I have been to that I could call home it was beautiful driving through there Tall Redwoods and conifers lined the highways, the hotel for the convention was right by the ocean and had awesome scenery . The next morning we got on a tour bus and visited 3 gardens in the area the 1st was Joe Ghio's ranch and I loved it. It was another garden that was well cared for and had some beautiful plants, we caught it on the early side so maybe 30% bloom but after the winter it was great to see something blooming his new intro's last year were Outstanding and I did get to see quite a few just starting to bloom. I only had a hour and a half and it was time to get back on the bus and head for the next garden, I wasn't ready to go yet I tried to convince them just to leave me and come back for me sometime around dark but it didn't work out that way. Here are some of my favorite pics from there.



Bravery& Brouhaha


Super Hero & Engagement Ring


Boy Genius & Winning Hand


Seedling & House A Fire


Noble Gesture & Subtle Beauty


Adventurous & Trumped


Seedling

The mass pix are eye catching

Every one of these places you went to are so beautiful I wish I could visit them also, so many on my wish list now and the photo's you took are outstanding, I have so enjoyed them, thank you.

Awesome, Brad -- just awesome. How I wish I could visit these places and see these Irises in person. I don't think I would ever recover.

Yes, It would be a case of iris overdose, for me! My addiction is only just managable now!...Arlyn

Thanks All for the Kind Word's,I definitely had Iris Overdose Arlyn but needed help with the Cabin Fever

The next 2 stops on the bus tour were both private gardens of the MBIS members that were kind enough to let us walk through there gardens and admire there hard work. The first stop was Jim & Irene Cummings garden and it was very unique and a pleasure to look at we really enjoyed it. They definitely had some special garden beds as you can tell from the pictures Jim had some neat stuff he built for garden art and a great selection of Iris for us to go through.




My favorite Iris pics from there garden

Marching Orders & Teenybopper


Boheima After Dark & All Smiles


Engagement Ring & Red Skies


Kathy Chilton & It's Magic

The next stop was Brenda Woods garden what I really liked about her home was the great location kind of hidden in the hills, with a beautiful views all the way around the home and she had one of the best Rose collection's I have ever seen. I try to grow quite a few different Hybrid Tea Roses and very rarely do they make it very tall and wide and then the frost put's them to sleep for the year, and I have whack them and start all over again in the spring so to see some mature bushes full of blooms was a treat for me she had some beautiful clumps of Iris but my favorite was her Roses.

The view from the back of home & A clump of Center Ice



Cardinal Rule & Magical


Moonglow & Expect Wonders


Easy Does It & Flaming Peace


Abraham Darby & Sheila's Perfume


Chicago Peace & NOID

Hybrid teas don't do well here. Better the floribunda & Austin roses. The irises on the trip looked like they were doing well.